[Al Ahram] Syrian Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shaar was maimed in a deadly kaboom targeting his ministry on Wednesday but his condition is not serious, a security source told AFP.

"He was maimed in the shoulder when the ceiling fell in his office," the source said on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity... for fear of being murdered..."He was taken to hospital but his condition gives no cause for concern and he should be discharged rapidly."

The triple bombing, using a booby-trapped car and two other devices, was made possible by a betrayal within the ministry's own protection service, the source said.

"It is impossible to get near the ministry gate except in an official vehicle," he added.

The attack killed five people and maimed 23, the state SANA news agency reported.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said nine people were killed.

It is the second time that the interior minister has been maimed in an attack.

Shaar narrowly escaped being killed in a spectacular July 18 bombing that claimed the lives of four other top security officials, including the defence minister and the brother-in-law of Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-AssadScourge of Qusayr....
Posted by: Fred 2012-12-14